Can openers



April 17, 1956 J NAGY r 2,741,835

CAN OPENERS Filed NOV. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3/ INVENTORS 1 19.11 75 JOHN NAGY BY WILBERT JAMES April 17, 1956 J. NAGY EI'AL 2,741,835

CAN OPENERS Filed Nov. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORY JOHN NAGY BY WILBERT JAMES United States Patent CAN OPENERS I John Nagy and Wilbert James, New York, N. Y.

Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,473

17 Claims. (Cl. 306.1)

This invention relates to can openers of the type adapted to be hooked on the bead of a can and rocked on the bead into a position in which the opener pierces the cantop to form a dispensing opening therein. Openers of this type are commonly used for opening beer cans, juice cans, and the like, and conventionally, are equipped with a piercing prong to form the dispensing opening.

It is desirable also to form an air vent opening in the can top, in spaced relation to the dispensing opening, to permit the contents to fiow out freely. Accordingly, it has been heretofore proposed to equip an opener with a vent-forming extension prong, adapted to form a vent opening at the same time the dispensing opening is formed.

One object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved tool of the type wherein a dispensing and vent opening are formed substantially simultaneously responsive to a single rocking of the tool about its axis on the perhiphery of the can top.

Another object of the invention, of considerable importance, is to provide a tool of the type stated which wil be novelly designed in such a manner as to result in increased leverage during the operation of forming dispensing and vent openings in the container.

Yet another object is to provide a tool as described which can be fashioned from relatively thin sheet metal material, thus holding the cost down to the maximum extent. This is particularly important in view of the fact that opening tools as described are generally distributed complementarily to purchasers of the beer or other beverage sold in the can.

A still further object of the present invention proposes constructing the opener with an upwardly inclined lever end portion at the tool end or" the opener for pressing or driving the vent-forming extension prong through the top of a can.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an opening tool formed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, a can being indicated in dotted lines, the tool being shown in full and dotted lines in its initial and final positions, respectively.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tool.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 5--S of "ice the opener constituting the present invention. The opener is formed from a single piece of sheet metal material, having an elongated, flat body portion 14 which at its tail end is formed with an upwardly oilset, longitudinally curved abutment 16. Medially between the opposite sides of the abutment, at the base thereof, a U-shaped slit is formed in the body portion, and the material circumscribed by said slit is struck downwardly and is formed at its free end with an upwardly directed lip, to define a tongue 18 cooperating with the abutment 16 in removing bottle caps of the crown type.

At its head end, the body portion 14 is integral with a short connecting portion 20 which is inclined 45 to the plane of the portion 14. At its lower end, the connecting portion 26 is formed with a widened head portion 22, said head portion being widest at its base end, and being formed With side edges converging toward the head end of the tool, which is upwardly directed and enlarged. Due to the provision of the flat, inclined connecting portion 2% the body portion 14 is disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of the head portion 22, but is ofiset upwardly from the plane of the head portion 22, to afford increased leverage when the opener is rocked from its dotted to its full line positions of Fig. 2.

in the portion 22 there is formed a V-shaped slit 24 the sides of which are generally parallel to the convergent side edges of the head portion, as best shown in Fig. 2. The slit 24 defines a main or dispensing opening forming prong 26, which is struck downwardly as shown in Fig. 1 out of the plane of the head portion, the prong 26 being disposed in angular relation to said plane as shown in Fig. 2, whereby to form a triangular dispensing opening in the can top when the tool is rocked about the bead of said top to the position thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

Adjacent the base portion of the prong 26, medially between the opposite sides thereof, a U-shaped slit is formed, and the material surrounded by said slit is struck downwardly to provide a hook element 30 having a bent tip that engages under the can top bead.

When the prong 26 is struck out of the material of said portion 22, it leaves convergent side portions on said head portion 22 as shown in Fig. 1, which side portions at their convergent ends merge into an upwardly inclined, enlarged head end lever 31 disposed at a wide obtuse angle to the head portion 22. Between the prong 26 and the head end lever St, a portion of the material is cut and bent downwardly to form a vent forming prong 32. This is smaller than the main prong 26, and is bent out of the plane of the head and body portions at an angle acutely related to the main prong 26, as best shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement is for the purpose of facilitating the formation of a venting prong of substantial size.

An important advantage of the tool resides in the fact that despite its being provided with longitudinally spaced prongs, both of which must enter the can top when dispensing and vent openings are to be formed, the tool can still be manufactured at relatively low cost, from comparatively thin sheet material.

The upwardly inclined enlarged head end lever 31 provides means by which the vent forming prong 32 can be pressed or driven through the top of a can. The lever 31 can either be pressed by the thumb of a hand grasping the body portion (see Fig. 2) or can be driven by hitting it with the butt of ones hand.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the piercing tool 18 includes a body portion 14 and a head portion 22 The head portion has ribs 36 and as will be noted from Figs. 4 and 5, the body portion 14 is offset upwardly by a connecting part 2i) out of the plane of the head portion, with the inner end portions 7 :3 3 7 of ribs 36 extending beyond the base of the head portion fully past the oflfset, thus to strengthen the integral connection of the relatively offset head and main porti ns. Th m mapwnsfifi -h ar is iss:- h an rhea z nsas n z tongue w ruc Qn -'th :m t n 'of 'thegmain prong. f heabutrnentd6 ihas aanagginal *Tlfheg:head,portion ;alsocontains ang upwardlydnelined ,differently than :inthe ,=for1 n,;of; the invention shown in -EigS. 17-3. ;The-ventiforming prong at its base end, has -an. approximately semicirculanportion, :rnerging at its outer -.end. into: atshort, ;.strai ght .-portion. having a filed or beveled point. The ;general plan e of the-vent forming prongliesat an acute-angle to the head =portion 2 2 and V ..is- .further disposed at an acute-angle to. the general I plane ,of the dispensing openinghformi g prong ,zs The arrangementparticularly facilitates the enhanced the vent .forming prong into the can top, and .due-to the semi- ;circular portion that follows the the part ;of' the vent forming prongintmthe can top, the initially :smallvent iopening isenlarged :by the time thetool reaches its final ,position. 7

,In this-form of the invention, and also in the first :form, the :main prong is disposed substantially .at right ,angles itotheplane of the hodyportion. This is per- -rnitted because the offsetting of the body portion will de- .-fine.-a'spa'ce between said'bodyportion and the side wall offthe container, when the tc-ol;is-being engaged-in the can bead preliminary torocking of'thetool about 'saidbead. Thetfingers of one hand can be inserted in the space-to permit grasping of the handle. Then, the tool is rocked .npwardlvto the position shown in Fig. 2 to-formtthevent and sp n ns p n r in the form of the invention shown-in Fig. '6, thetool 10 has a body portion 14* joined by an inclined connecting portion toa head portion'22 A bead engaging tongue and -a dispensing opening forming ;prong 26 are struck out of -the material of the head sp tion- V r To this extent the form of the;invention ofFigs. 6:and 7 isthe-same as in the previous forms.

:However, instead .of the headxportion 31" being disposed-overitsentire area in theplane lying at an obtuse ,angle to the planet of thehead portion,-said lever-31 has azflat outer end portion otfset upwardly from and lying .in: a.-plane1.parallel to .the' plane .of theihead. portion .22

V Ithrough the medium of an inclined connecting portion 37 :bnLofthe materialiof whichthe vent forming prong 32 is formed. The prong 3-2? is straight from-end to fifidllll thisxform ofthe invention, being disposed in the :sameangular relationto theheadportion and dispensingyond the vent forming prong, there is a head end lever -which'is so locatedas to beiengageld-by'the thumb of'a psershani when said hand is'grasping thebody portion of the tool in a natural manner during the rocking ofthe tool. This'permits, when thevent forming prong initially *moves intocontact withthe surfaceof the can top, added leverage to be exerted at the location of the venting prong, in a downward direction, tending to drive "the venting prong through the material of the can top.

It is of further importance that the connecting portion 2G, 21%, 20 is in every instance disposed at an angle of relative to each of the relatively ofiset, parallel planes of the body and head portions. Due to this arrangement, as the tool is rocked from its dotted to its'full line positions of Fig. 2, 'thejconneetin'g portion is disposed counter to linesof force tendingrto bend thesame. This is particularly 'true 'asthe prongs begin to-enter-the can 7 top. ,.At;this tin1e, i 'fiLZlhB locationtofthe .loweraend of V the connecting portion, a considerable strain is set up, which would ordinarily-tend to=berid-the-'tool at this point. However, the connecting portion, being disposed at an obtuse angle to each of the head and body portions, ef-

fectively resists this bending moment. At the same time, the connecting portion offsets the body-p ortion outwardly =from.the.can,, ;the,- ini tial;positioni of: the tool,,to facilitatethe jnsertion of ones fingers-through thespa ce'be- "tweenjthe ;body;portion of the a tool and the .side wall. of

can. a

While yvehave illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention itlis-to be:understood that awerdo notslimitourselves to the .precise constructions -new,,-and desire to seeurebyUnited: States Letters .Patent 11. ,Agpiereirig: tool for. forming dispensing and. air vent openings in-;a can'top, comprisingzta body'formed from ,a; single=she e t ofrmetal material and including a bodyportion serving as a handle a headportion at one end of the .bodygportionrhavingtan-air vvent prong, .a. main prong ,-tion and. spaced,from thejair vent prongfandreinforcing V ribs on said head portion, air vent prong-.andmain prong said .air vent. prong and main 1 prong :being tapered, :said head portion havingan outwardly. inclinedzhead end lever ,Jwith an enlarged ireelend, .the :IibSLOfQthe head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the side portions and terminating behind the air ventrprong.

3 A piercing tool-for forming dispensing. and; air-vent openings in'a cantop, comprising: abody formed ,froma s ng e-ah d m a ma r al nd in l d ng a ody p n serving as a handle, .a head portionat one end lot .the body portion having an air ventprong adjacenttheend thereof andstruckfrom the materialof the head portion,

a main prong struck out of the materialof vthehead portion andspaced from ,theair vent prong and reinforcing ribs on said head portion,-.air .vent prong, and main prong, said air vent.prong.and. main prong bfiingtaperedsaid head portion having anoutwardly'inclined head end lever "with-ansenlargdfreelend, the .fibsfo'f the head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the-side portions and terminating behind theairvenhpronglip, said ribs having convergent ends traversing the air vent prong.

4. A piercing tool for'forming dispensing and air vent openin s in a can on. compr ng: a b Y-f m m single'sheetof'metal materialand'includingga'b'ody portion andstruck out,of the material of thehea'dportion, agmain prong struck out 'of the materialof the head portion and spaced from the air vent prong, and reinforcing ribs on said head portion, air vent prong, and main prong, said air vent prong and main prong being tapered, said head portion having an outwardly inclined head end lever with an enlarged free end, the ribs of the head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the two prongs and having convergent ends merging into the ribs of the air vent prong.

5. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising: a body formed from a single sheet of metal material and including a body portion serving as a handle, a head portion at one end of the body portion having an air vent prong struck therefrom and disposed adjacent the end thereof, a main prong struck out of the material of the head portion and spaced from the air vent prong, and reinforcing ribs on said head portion, air vent prong, and main prong, said air vent prong and main prong being tapered, said head portion having an outwardly inclined head end lever with an enlarged free end, the ribs of the head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the side portions and merging into the ribs of the air vent prong, said ribs on the main prong and the air vent prong being in pairs and extended in convergent relation, the ribs of the main prong extending at their divergent ends beyond the base of the main prong.

6. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising: a body formed from a single sheet of metal material and including a body portion serving as a handle, a head portion at one end of the body portion having an air vent prong struck from the material of the head portion, a main prong struck out of the material of the head portion and spaced from the air vent prong, and reinforcing ribs on said head portion, air vent prong, and main prong, said air vent prong and main prong being tapered, said head portion having an outwardly inclined head end lever with an enlarged free end, the ribs of the head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the side portions and merging into the ribs of the air vent prong, said ribs on the main prong and the air vent prong being in pairs and extending in convergent relation, the ribs of the main prong extending at their divergent ends beyond the base of the main prong, the ribs of the head portion extending at one end beyond the base of said head portion. t

7. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising: a body formed from a single sheet of metal material and including a body portion serving as a handle, a head portion at one end of the body portion having an air vent prong struck therefrom adjacent the end thereof, a main prong struck out of the material of the head portion and spaced from the air vent prong, and reinforcing ribs on said head portion, air vent prong, and main prong, said air vent prong and main prong being tapered, said head portion having an outwardly inclined head end lever with an enlarged free end, the ribs of the head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the side portions and merging into the ribs of the air vent prong, said ribs on the main prong and the air vent prong being in pairs each extended in convergent relation, the ribs of the main prong extending at their divergent ends beyond the base of the main prong, the ribs of the head portion extending at one end beyond the base of said head portion, the body portion being offset upwardly relative to the head portion.

8. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising: a body formed from a single sheet of metal material and including a body portion serving as a handle, a head portion at one end of the body portion having an air vent prong struck therefrom adjacent one end thereof, a main prong struck out of the material of the head portion and spaced from the air vent prong, and reinforcing ribs on said head portion, air vent prong, and main prong, said air vent prong and main prong being tapered, said head portion having an outward ly inclined head end lever with an enlarged free end, the

ribs of the headportion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the side portions and merging into the rib of the air vent prong, said ribs on the main prong and air vent prong being in pairs each extended in convergent relation, the ribs of the main prong extending at their divergent ends beyond the base of the main prong, the ribs of the head portion extending at one end beyond the base of said head portion, the body portion being offset upwardlyrelative to the head portion, the ribs of the head portion terminating at said end thereof beyond'the oifset between the head and body portions.

9. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising: a body formed from a single sheet of metal material and including a body portion serving as a handle, a head portion at one end of the body portion having an air vent prong struck therefrom adjacent one end thereof, a main prong struck out,

of the material of the head portion and spaced from the air vent prong, and reinforcing ribs on said head portion, air vent prong, and main prong, said air vent prong and main prong being tapered, said head portion having an outwardly inclined head end lever with an enlargedfree end, the ribs of the head portion being extended longitudinally and centrally of the side portions, and merging into the rib of the air vent prong, said ribs on the main prong and air vent prong being in pairs each extended in convergent relation, the ribs of the main prong extending at their divergent ends beyond the base of the main prong, the ribs of the head portion extending at one end beyond the base of said head portion, the body portion being offset upwardly relative to the head portion, the ribs of the head portion terminating at said end thereof beyond the offset between the head and body portions, said main prong being extended substantially at right angles to the body portion.

10. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising a flat body portion, a flat head portion lying in a plane parallel to and below the plane of the body portion, a connecting portion joining the head and body portions and extending in a plane oblique to the first-named planes, a dispensingopening-forming prong and a can-bead-engaging prong struck out of the material of the head portion, an extension on the head portion at that end thereof remote from the connecting portion, and a vent-opening-forming prong .struck out of the material of said extension.

11.- A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising a fiat body portion, a flat head portion lying in a plane parallel to and below the plane of the body portion, a connecting portion joining the head and body portions and extending in a plane oblique to the first-named planes, a dispensingopening-forming prong and a can-bead-engaging prong struck out of the material of the head portion, an extension on the head portion at that end thereof remote from the connecting portion, and a vent-opening-forming prong struck out of the material of said extension, said connecting portion plane being related at a 45 angle to the plane of each of the head and body portions.

12. A piercing tool for forming dispensing and air vent openings in a can top, comprising a flat body portion, a fiat head portion lying in a plane parallel to and below the plane of the body portion, a connecting portion joining the head and body portions and extending in a plane oblique to the first-named planes, a dispensingopening-forming prong and a can-bead-engaging prong struck out of the material of the head portion, an extension on the head portion at that end thereof remote from the connecting portion, and a vent-opening-forrning prong struck out of the material of said extension, said connecting portion plane being related at a 45 angle to the plane of each of the head and body portions, said tool further including a head end lever adapted to receive the thumb of a hand grasping the body portion, said head end lever being formed upon the extension and 

